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 Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 6:55 pm
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from the bottom
Thorne looks up when Chris leaves him on the couch one night, curiosity flickering through him before the other man returns and holds out a bundle to him. He has an inkling of what's happening here, a little bit of an idea that had grown in him ever since they'd moved in together, and the jar of seashells had become a part of the urban garden in their apartment.
His eyes flick up when Chris returns with a bundle.
"Always," he says, a soft question in his tone, and reaches out, touching the bundle and Chris's hands. He stands and lets the bundle rest between them, a joined thing.
"Together, then?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:30 pm
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from the bottom
He's somehow nervous when he holds the bundle out to Thorne, like Thorne will refuse him even though Chris knows he won't at all. He can't meet Thorne's eyes yet, not really, but he knows Thorne is there. Can feel the warmth of his hand between them, between the bundle.
"Yeah," He says, shifting so he can take Thorne's hand, transferring the shells to his other. He squeezes it tightly and then, carefully, leads Thorne to where the jar is nestled among the green.
He's not sure if he needs to do this, doesn't know if it's Thorne moving the jar or the cats or hell, if it's Heddy. But he wants to, he wants to take it on his own terms. Slow, careful.
Before the jar he creates some room, carefully sits down. Stares at the seashells in it, but he can't bring himself to drag it over. Not yet.
[wc: 151]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 7:49 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
Poe is, somehow, miraculously, doing okay for once. He's still stressed, of course, because he advises a large group of students in various states of finishing their degree, but none are ever quite as stressful as Chris. However, since Chris had decided to take a semester off (and Poe will never know the reason, but he will thank the heavens and every god and then some) and listen to him for once, Poe was having all in all, a very nice semester. Sure, he'd have to track down a kid or two, but mostly he was enjoying just navigating Chris to helping out the professors and TAs and spending his free time wondering who that person Chris had been with on campus that one day.
It seemed the universe had seemed fit to give him a gift.
"Hello," He says in reply automatically, expecting a student. What he gets instead is most definitely not anyone he's advising, or at least not anyone he thinks he is (some still hadn't met him) and he wonders why they feel vaguely familiar. The pieces click into place when he asks for Chris and he realizes, that was who Chris had been walking with.
Maybe he was the reason for the semester off.
"Oh, no," He replies after a minute, realizing that was a question. "He's monitoring a class for a test right now, then he'll grade afterwards. You're free to sit here until he does show up though."
He tries to not make it obvious he's staring and he takes of his glasses, cleans them with a little cloth he has around on his desk. Poe himself has brown hair that's mostly neatly combed to the side and large grey eyes that he keeps under glasses. He's thin in size and if he didn't always look like he was about to cry, he'd remarkably look like an owl.
[wc: 315]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 8:10 pm
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from the bottom
Thorne smiles at Chris and follows him over to the plants where the jar awaits them. It is gorgeous in its simplicity. He's glad that they were able to keep it, glad that Chris chose to take it with them, even if he had not touched it yet.
Thorne settles down as Chris rummages, and he reaches one hand over to rest on the small of Chris's back, fingers teasing a pattern out in a gentle manner. A grounder for Chris, if it is all too much for him. With his other hand, he taps out a gentle pattern on Chris's hands and looks down at the bundle, carefully unfolding it to reveal the collection from the trip.
"It's gorgeous, you know," he says thoughtfully, looking over at Chris. "It's like looking at a thousand different seas." He splays his fingers over the seashell collection in front of them already. "Which beach from this pile was your favorite, do you think?"
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:13 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
Thorne blinks at Poe, owlish for a moment before he slides effortlessly into a smile, warm and veiled. He steps in and closes the door behind him, nothing but raw energy and tame, amiable elegance. He settles in the seat provided, one leg over the other, running a hand through his already mussed hair before setting his eyes on Poe.
Today, Thorne had chosen to wear glasses. He'd figured it made him look a little bit more like he could blend into the crowd, but they make his hands itch in a desperate urge to fiddle around, and he had to tap out a rhythm along his knuckles not to do so. Instead he says, "Thank you, I appreciate it."
A pause then, pregnant, before he added, "My name is Alexander Thorne. I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself first." There was a mild, wry grin on his face. "It seems I've been made to play long distance butler today, before anything else."
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:34 pm
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from the bottom
He's grateful for Thorne's touch, for him grounding him as they settle in front of the jar. He stares at it, but Thorne's hands on his are a reminder and he looks at the seashells as they unfold, released from their paper prison.
"Yeah," He says quietly, the barest edge of a smile on his face. "I liked the first beach, the hidden one," He replies, fingers reaching out to trace a shell he remembered picking up from there. The spray was cold under his toes and him and Thorne's connected hands, back when they didn't know what they could be together. Back when he didn't want to lose it all. He didn't regret it though, he didn't regret a single thing. "She would've liked it too," He adds quietly, thickly. He swallows down the emotion in his throat, says, "Which one was yours?"
[wc: 143]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 9:39 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
It's a little strange, Poe thinks, while watching Thorne. There's an elegance to him that he posses, is sort of at odds with his looks. At odds with what he think Chris would pick in someone (and yes, Poe is quite aware of Chris' tastes, after trying to set him up for nearly 6 years at this point), elegant and yet something that almost feels dangerous.
"Ah, no I was the rude on first," Poe says, giving a smile. "I'm Poe Athens, but you're welcome to call me Poe. I prefer it, actually. Chris kind of wore out Mr.Athens in his first few years with me." His eyes cast over Thorne again.
There are so many questions he wants to ask, so many things he wants to know. Chris is basically a weird, strange family friend of his now and he's somewhat protective of him. So he only gives a little laugh at Thorne's remark, then says rather casually, "So how long have you two been dating?"
[wc: 166]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:00 pm
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from the bottom
Thorne smiles at Chris, a true smile past anything else he's ever put on for another person. It is raw and gentle. It is everything he feels for Chris, and more. The seashells dance out before them, a list, a breadcrumb trail, of everywhere they'd gone.
"Me too," Thorne responds, touching the shells with his fingers. They are cool beneath his touch, as though they had been on the beach only minutes ago. As though if Thorne closed his eyes he could hear the wind and the whiplash sounds of water striking in and out of the coves. Them alone, in a world where no one else could exist.
"We should go back there, sometime," Thorne says softly. "I want to go to the ones you loved most." He opens his eyes and looks over at Chris. He does not think the woman Chris mentions is Hyejin - he thinks she is the wound in him that he is still swallowing down. But Thorne doesn't press, knows better.
His laughter is slow and raw and he stretches his fingers over their collection, searching through the shells as he searches through his memories.
"That one as well, I think," Thorne said, "It was the first time I considered telling you that I loved you, you know. But then I got cold feet - literally too, since I stuck them in the water."
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:06 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
Thorne watches Poe right back, but in no way that can be considered rude or mean. He is simply interested in Chris's life here, his life beyond him. He wants to know what the other people think of Chris, what they see in him as well. He wants to understand this academic strife that puts Chris through so much hell. Rather, he wants to understand why Chris loves it, puts up with it.
"You've known Chris for years?" Thorne asks, and his voice dips, amused. "How are you still sane?"
His eyes are dancing and amused. The fond tease is there - it stretches out the joke into something more.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Poe," Thorne retorts, but pauses at the sudden question. His eyes flick to Poe, startled and slightly surprised. His mouth quiets a little bit, he looks considerate before he tilts his head at Poe.
"Not very long," he acquiesces, gently, "I only told him what I felt at the end of our road trip. But We've been living together for a few months, in a nearly backwards turn of events."
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:22 pm
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from the bottom
Chris takes a glance at Thorne and the smile there warms him, gives him a little more strength, a little more courage. He can do the shells. He can do this with Thorne.
He lets his fingertips trace the shells for another moment, thoughtful, considering. He liked them, a personal reminder of their trip, a personal reminder of everything. Some of it was awkward, but the other part of it, oh it was wonderful. A literal dream.
"We should," He says in return, agreeing fully. "We should go to Corpus Christi again too, that was a nice one as well." Texas had been nice, the water there had been pretty. A nice aquamarine blue, still warm from the Gulf of Mexico.
"Was it really?" Chris asks softly and he dares a longer look at Thorne, a soft smile on his face growing. "You were the one who suggested no shoes, by the way, only yourself to blame there."
He lets silence stretch out for a minute before finally, carefully, he reaches out and pulls the jar close to him. Rests his hand on it a moment before he finally says in a very small, very quiet voice, "This isn't really my collection. I didn't make it, I didn't want it. She started it and Hyejin forced it on me."
[wc: 218]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:35 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
Poe laughs, Thorne immediately endeared to him by the question. It's either Thorne knows his plight, which few people knew the specifics of but always knew to avoid Poe himself during semesters, or just wanted to rag on Chris but either way he enjoyed the bluntness.
"Good question," He replies, smile wry, "Just about six years and I'm still here. I'm surprised he listened to me for a semester, although I'm starting to think maybe that was you."
He waits for Thorne's reply, face only considerate, kind. It's a bit of a schooled reply, years of advising under his belt, but also something innate he's had for a long time. Made him consider something with people in the first place, instead of becoming a well. Anything else.
"Ahh," He says softly, silent for a few moments. The time where he saw them holding hands, that was before wasn't it. Strange then, how that panned out, but then Chris had always found his own ways to things. "Well, it doesn't surprise me it was you. I think you two are good for each other, though. If anything he seems to be sleeping more with you around." He winks then, devious.
[wc: 199]
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:25 pm
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from the bottom
Thorne hums softly, watching the colors shift beneath the dark of his skin, the slope of his tattoos. Memories wash over him, harsh and gentle at the same time. An undertow, a sea of remembrance.
"I want to build more memories with you," he says absently, "I want more of this with you." He looks at Chris and smiles. "Corpus Christi, then. One day maybe we can make it to Na Pali too, like we spoke of on the road trip."
He leans against Chris slightly as he pulls the jar over to them both, watching it with interest, with curiosity. Chris speaks and he reaches out and touches the hand that rests on top of it. He looks over at Chris, and says, "It's a memory."
There's a weight there, in his words. He pauses to choose them carefully. He adds very softly, "It cannot all be bad. You've kept it all this time. It looks like treasure to me."
Thorne closes his eyes and hears the sea, sees the beach and Chris.
"I'm sure you'll be able to honor her by continuing it," he says eventually, and looks at Chris. "There can be new memories here too. For her. For you."
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Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:29 pm
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i just wanna hold ya
Thorne snorts a little bit at Poe, his mouth lazy and cat-like with its grin. He cannot help the laugh that shudders from him, winded and wild.
"Six years," he repeats, "That's impressive."
He watches Poe then, considering him, his reactions. He wants to make a good impression here, if only because Poe and Hyejin are the two people in Chris's life that have known him for so long and that Thorne has had the honor of meeting (sort of.) He flicks his eyes to Poe when he says that they're good for each other out loud, eyes a little bit wide.
"Oh," he says, a demure sound, "I'd like to - think so." There's a crooked smile there, warm and fond. "He's like nothing I've known before. I really love him. And god, don't remind me of his awful sleep patterns. The reason I met him was because he appeared at my apartment at 3AM for cupcakes looking like death itself had risen."
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Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2016 12:12 am
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from the bottom
Chris looks over at Thorne and the shy smile that was peeking through fully opens up, turns into something raw and happy. "Yeah," He says, "Yeah, I do too. I want so much with you. So bad I can't breathe, sometimes." He nods his head, stretches out to touch the sea shells again. Let the feel of them soothe him, instead of worry him.
The glass against him is cold, the metal of the lid even colder. It's a big jar and when Thorne's hand comes to rest on his he startles a little before relaxing against Thorne, just staring at the glass.
"I had it hidden," He whispers, thinks of the jar in the closet, forgotten until Thorne found it. But he knows that Thorne is right, in a way. It's not all bad, it's not something he could bear to throw out and Hyejin gave it to him because it meant something deep to him. It hurt because it meant that much.
He lets the silence stretch out between them and when Thorne speaks Chris looks at him, considering. Wonders if he can really do what he says, if he can keep her memory. He looks at the shells between them, the places they've been, additions to the jar that she never would've been able to get back at home.
"Her name was Wheein," He finally says, after awhile. "Wheein Lee. Hyejin and I loved her a lot."
[wc: 240]
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